College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Jefferson Community College

Watertown, NY 1,523 Undergrads 29.5% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$17,874
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$11,012
After Aid
Median Earnings
$39,991
10yr Post-Entry

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$11,012
Peer Midpoint: $9,014
Earnings (10yr)$39,991
Peer Midpoint: $40,397
Graduation Rate29.5%
Peer Midpoint: 32.9%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients49.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time69.8%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS59.2%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
100.0%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

ROI Sensitivity Analysis

This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.

Lifetime Value Added (NPV)

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$402k
+$13k
-$83k
Median Cost$11k/yr
+$382k
-$7k
-$103k
Full Cost$18k/yr
+$369k
-$20k
-$115k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$11k/yr
Never
-509%
Full Cost$18k/yr
Never
-352%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 10-year median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).
  • Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
  • Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
  • NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.

Social Impact ROINew

Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.

Donor Return-527%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew

Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.

Taxpayer Return-156%
Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis

Associate's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services
AssocCIP: 5203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$41,988
Lifetime Value Added
-$60k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$11,847
Earnings (5yr)
$44,516
Lifetime Value Added
-$35k
Business Operations Support and Assistant Services
AssocCIP: 5204
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$35,031
Lifetime Value Added
-$129k
Community Organization and Advocacy
AssocCIP: 4402
Median Debt
$12,855
Earnings (5yr)
$39,610
Lifetime Value Added
-$84k
Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1512
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$28,236
Lifetime Value Added
-$180k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$13,000
Earnings (5yr)
$45,670
Lifetime Value Added
-$24k
Hospitality Administration/Management
AssocCIP: 5209
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$16,663
Lifetime Value Added
-$306k
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
AssocCIP: 1907
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$28,551
Lifetime Value Added
-$195k
Legal Support Services
AssocCIP: 2203
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$18,309
Lifetime Value Added
-$288k
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
AssocCIP: 2401
Median Debt
$9,750
Earnings (5yr)
$41,458
Lifetime Value Added
-$65k
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
AssocCIP: 5138
Median Debt
$20,689
Earnings (5yr)
$72,967
Lifetime Value Added
+$230k
Social Work
AssocCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$40,504
Lifetime Value Added
-$75k
Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations
AssocCIP: 5219
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$25,774
Lifetime Value Added
-$207k

Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate, accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.

For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results should not be compared with those Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors starting at age 18.